Towing vessels



T. S. MILLER.

TOWING VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED MMI. 22. 1918.

T. S. MILLER. Tow'ING vEssELs.

A I'PLICATION FILED MAR. 22, I9I8.

0. 2. 1 ...n my, O E 3 m wm n ww N w ww IQ 1...( d 2 .5.. .mv .f .l mWK. IJ I /l IIHI m... I /III runmwf IIIIII I IJ IMLI mm \\l IVIHI- III,

INVENTOR.

71, lll/l',

INN.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, 0F SOUTH ORANGE, lNEW JERSEY.

' TOWING VESSELS..

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3o, 1920.

Application led March 22, 1918. Serial No. 223,931.

To all w71 am t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS SPENCER MIL- LEn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of South Orange, in the county of Essex and Stateof New Jersey, have invented certain new-and useful Improvements inTowing Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in towing systemsfor vessels. In my prior applications, Serial No. 177,072, filed June26, 1917, and upon which Letters Patent No. 1,319,601 were grantedOctober 21, 1919, and Serial 1120,218,158, filed February 19, 1918, andupon which Letters Patent No. 1,320,023 were granted October 28, 1919, Ihave described embodiments of winding engines adapted for the towing ofvessels which are original with me, and in which provision is made tomaintain a substantially constant tension 1n a tow line or hawser, bytaking up the line whenever there 1s a decrease of tension so as torestore the normal l tension thereto, or to pay out the line wheneverthere is a material increase of tension, in order to limit the tensionto a desired point. vWhen I say that the winding engine of my inventionmaintains a substantially constant tension, I do not mean that itmaintains an unvariable tension inthe towing A line, but include withinthe term small variations of tension, in contradistinction to theoperation of other known types of towing engines wherein the stress ortension onthe. tow line varies as high as 300 or 400 per cent. One ofthe advantages of such a mode of operation is that .it enables the useof a towing hawser much lighter, e., of less cross section and alsoshorter than those commonly employed. even though the towing is to bedone in a heavy or rough sea where the wave action is pronounced. Insuch a situation, a winding engine of the type referred to operates tocompensate for either increases or decreases in the tensionof the line,so as to maintain an approximately normal tension therein. and therebyrelieve the tow line of excessive Strain.

My invention consists in the improvements tobe more fully describedhereinafter. and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a winding engine constituting myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1.

F ig, 3 is a view in front elevation of the en ine shown in Figs. 1 and2.

fig. 4 iS a sectional view Showing the means whereby the engine iscontrolled to increase and decrease the tension on the towing line.

Fig. 5 is atop plan View of the controlling valve and showing, in dottedlines, the steam ducts.

vReferring to the drawings by characters of reference, 10 designatesgenerally the bed frame of a towing engine embodying my invention andconsisting of the side members 11 connected by transverse members 12,13. Above these side members 11 are arranged alining bearings 14, inwhich turns a horizontally ,disposed transverse power shaft 15 carryingon its outer ends crank disks 16, having crank Vpins 17. These crankpins 17 are connected by pitmen, indicated in dot-and-dash lines at 18,to cross heads 20 sliding on guide-ways 21, and connected to piston rods22 of pistons (not shown) in fluid pressure engine cylinders 22, mountedon said bed frame, Said cylinders being provided with slide valves 23,of anv wellknown suitable type. In View of the fact that the enginecylinders and slide valves may be of any well-known structure which willserve the purpose for which they are employed, I do not deem itnecessary to illustrate or describe the same specifically herein. Theslide valves are driven from eccentrics 24 mounted on the said powershaft and connected to said Slide valves by connecting rods, indicatedby dot-and-dash lines at 25. The engine cylinders thus pre.- viouslydescribed, are employed to operate or control the ower Shaft in a mannerto be presently described. 0n the forward portion of the frame arearranged bearing blocks 26, having arcuate upper bearing surfaces 27located beneath the power shaft 15, and preferably concentric thereto.Arranged on these bearing blocks 26 to rock or turn on the curvedsurfaces 27 thereof,

are rocking members 28, having curved surfaces 29, preferably curved toconform to the curved surfaces 27 heretofore described. The members 28constitute the lower members of a two-part bearing, each of which iscompleted by an upper bearing part 30 carried by the lower portions ofside members 31 of a rocking frame constituted by said side members anda rear transverse member 32. The bearing members 28, 30 embrace 31, arellocated alining bearings 33 of any suitable construction, in whichturns a drum shaft 34, upon which 1s mounted a flanged drum 35, andkeyed to said shaft and lixed to the drum 35 is a driving gear 36 whichmeshes with a driving pinion 37 fixed to the power shaft 15. By,thegearing described the drum may, under certain conditions, be heldagainst rotation bv the motor, and under other conditions, the drum maybe driven to take up the towing line. This drum 35 is adapted to receiveand have wound thereon the towing hawser, the in-v crease in the tensionof the line or hawser, or decrease therein, serving to rock the drum anddrum frame on the shaft 15, and the members 26 as a fulcrum or bearing.This rocking movement is employed to control the action or operation ofthe engine cylinders to drive the drum to take up the line when thetension of the latter is reduced bclow normal, or to permit the drum tobe overhauled to pay out the line when the tension increases abovenormal.

The drum frame and the drum 35 are movable on the shaft 15, thismovement in the outhauling or pulling direction of the line beingopposed by cushioning or yielding means, preferably in the form ofcoiled springs 38 arranged preferably at the, rear of the rocking frame,and exerting their force to swing the frame in the inhauling direction.The said springs are of such strength as to oppose the forward movementof the drum frame yieldirg to the pulling stress of the towing hawser,thus permit- -ting said frame to move forward in outhaul direction. andcorrespondingly shift the bearing axis of the drum. Should the/tensionor pull in the tow line drop, the springs exert their force to move thedrum frame and the drum in t-he opposite or inhauling direction. andswing it together with the bearing axis of the drum in a backwarddirection. I preferably provide two of these springs. the same being ofspiral form, and carried by tension or pull bars 39 pivotally connectedto the bed frame, as at 40, said pull bars extending upward from the bedframe, in rear of the swinging drum frame. The springs are confinedbetween a rearwardly extending projection 41 on the swinging frame,which projection extends beneath thc lower ends of said springs, and .bycompression plates 42 engaging the upper ends of the springs, and heldin place by nuts 43 threaded on the upper ends of said bars. Byadjusting the nuts 43 lengthwise of the tension bars 39, the compressionplates 42 may be adjusted to regulate the expansive force of saidsprings. From the above description it will be seen that the frame andthe drum carried thereby will be movable under changes of tension in thetowing line wound on the drum, increases of tension serving to pull saidframe forward in the outhauling direction,which movement is opposed bythe force of springs 38, while decreases of tension in the towing linewill result in said springs exerting their force to rock the drum anddrum frame in the inhauling direction. The force of the springs 38 is soregulated as to be under compression,'or active under predeterminednormal pull on the line, so that a material reduction in normal pull ortension will result iii-the spring force exceeding said pull, andthereby move the drum and drum shaft in the inhaul direction.

This movement of the drum under changes of tension in the hauling line,is employed to operate a controller, preferably in the form of acontrolling valve for the engine, to control the supply of iuidpressure,` sov that when the tension on the line increases, the pressurein the cylinders4 is reduced or relieved to permit the engine to beoverhauled or run free until the tension on the towing line is normal,and when the tension on the towing line falls below normal, the supplyof fluid pressure is increased, and the engine cylinders operate todrive the drum to wind in the towing line until the tension of said lineis increased to normal. This result is accomplished in the embodimentshown by the control of a controlling valve for the iuid pressure which,will now be described, referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of thedrawings.

44 designates a throttle valve of any sultable type, controlled by ahand wheel 45 to control the supply of steam, derived from anysuitablesource. lt is not necessary to showl the connections between thesource of pressure and said'valve, but such connections may be appliedto the inlet end of said valve` indicated at 4G (Fig. 1). The outletbranch 4T of the throttle valve is connected to the inlet duct 4S of thecasing 4S) of a reversing valve forming part ofthe controlling valvestructure. This controlling valve comprises the vertically disposedcasing 49, divided by a vertical partition 50 into cylindrical chambers51` 52, the latter being con-V nected by oppositely disposed conduits 53with the valve chests 23 ofthe engine cylinders 22, one of said conduitsbeing indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. and both of said conduitsbeing indicated in full lines in Figs. 1 and 5. In the chamber 51 is acylindrical valvewa)7 having upper and lower sets ot annular openings54, 55, and intermediate annularl openings 56 communicating respectivelywith annular steam-ways 5T, 58 and 59, respectively. The steamway 59opens to the main steam line supply pipe through the said throttle valve44, the steamway 5T to the exhaust pipe 60, leading from the cylindervalve chests 23 and the steamway 58 communicates with a port 61 leadingto a cylindrical valveway 62 opening at its upper end into the chamber52 and at its lower end into a port 63 opening through the valvewayheretofore described, into the exhaust chamber-64, in the valve casing`the latter also communi 'ating with the exhaust passage 5T, as shown inFig. 4. The upper and lower ends of the valve chamber 51 are connectedby means of the b v-pass or exhaust chamber 64 by means of the ports 65,66, and the annular passages 6T. 68.- The main exhaust connection isshown at 69 in Figs. 4 and 5. ln

the cylindrical valve cage or chamber 51 is arranged a double pistonvalve having heads TO, T1 connected by a reduced portion T2, the saidheads being so spaced that when the valve is moved, the space betweenthe heads will span either ot' the openings 55, 56, or the. openings 54,56, so that in the first position the exhaust ports 60 of thecylinderyvalve chests 23 will be connected to the exhaust 69 ofthecasing, through the chamber 64, on the one hand. and the steam inlet 48with the port 61, on the other hand,.while in the second position ofsaid valve, the steam inlet 48 will be connected to the port 54 toreverse the flow of steam to the engine cylinders, and the passage willbe connected to the exhaust chamber 64 through the passages 66. Thispiston valve is provided with an extension rod T3 extending through astuflinef box T4 in the head of the valve casing, such rod beingthreaded through a hand-wheel nut T5 rotatably mounted on the casing,said hand-wheel nut being operable to shift the valve to either ot' thepositions above set forth, and said rod T3 being held against rotationby any suitable means. for example, as shown in my said priorapplications. In the cylindrical valveway 62 is arranged a cylindricalcage. or liner. 62, having openings 63, communicating with the port 63.openings 6l communicating with the port 61 and openings 64"communicating with an annular port 65x in the valve casing andsurrounding the said liner. The inlet steam tlowingfrom the inlet port46 to the port 61 passes through the openings 61?l around the head T6,out through the ports 64 into the annular port 65n and thence throughthe conduits 53 leading to the valve chests of the steam engines.Arranged to reciprocate in the cylindrical valveway 62 is a puppet valveconsisting of a hollow shell having a head T6 normaily located in thechamber 52 and adapted tol cooperate with the edge of an annularshoulder T6a constituting a valve seat to control the flow of steambetween the chamber 52 and the port 61. The head T6 is provided with anannular passage or groove T6 communicating through openings T6b with thebore of the hollow puppet valve, that portion T6c ot the head at theupper end ot' the latter being formed to engage the inner surfa e oftheupper portion of the liner 62, and thereby serve as a guide for thereciprocatory movements of the valve. The, head is also provided with anopening T6d through which the interior of the valve communicates withthe chamber 52. This hollow puppet valve is provided at its lower endwith an annular piston head TT connected to the head T6 by a reducedstem T6 which permits passage of the steam by said valve in passingJfrom port 61, and opening 61, to the chamber 52 and the ducts leadingto the engine cylinders. T he head TT terminates at its lower end adjacent the passage 63 so that the chamber 52 communicates through thebore of the puppet valve with said passage 63 under conditions to bedescribed presently. The puppet valve is normally urged toward its seatby an expansion spring T9 seated at one end on said valve, said springhaving its opposite end seated in a spring plate 66 in the upper i endof the chamber 52, and engaged by an adjusting bolt 81 threaded throughthe head of the casing, and operable to regulate the expansive force ofthe spring. Arranged in the valveway 62, beneath the head TT of thepuppet valve, is a piston head 62 which is adapted to engage either thelower end of said head TT to cut off communication between the chamber52 and the passage 66 through the puppet valve, or be moved away fromsaid head to permit tree communication between said chamber 52 and thepassage 63. This piston 62 is carried b v a stem 83 having at its lowerend an enlarged cylindrical portion 84 slidably disposed in the head 85.The portion S4 of the said stem 83 is connected to a vertical threadedrod 66 having a spherical upper end, by a ball and socket joint.. asshown in Fig. 4. The rod 86 has a squared or polysided lower end 6Tseated in a correspondingly formed seat 86 (see Fig. 2), in thebed-trame 10 to prevent turning of the said stem. but permittingvcrtical reciprocation thereof. On this rod 66 is threaded a pinion nut69 having a collar 90 straddled by a yoke 91, on one end ot the lever92,l fulcrumed intermediate its ends. at 93, on the main jtrame. The endoiE the lever 92, opposite to that bearing the voke 91, is connected b va link 923 with a block 94, which is slidably disposed in a slot in abracket 96. rigidly mounted on the lower rear end of the drum trame formovement therewith. This block is threaded on an adjusting bolt 9Textending longitudinally of the slot 95 and having bearings 98 in theportions of the bracket at the ends of the slots, said bolt beingoperable to adjust the block lengthwise of the slot and thereby regulatethe degree of throw ofthe lever under the movements of the drum frame.

By this arrangement it will be seen that whenever the drum frame movesin the outhauling direction, due to an increase of tension in the towingline to overcome the opposing force of the spring 38, the rear portionof said drum frame will be raised thereby lifting the bracket 96, whichresults in swinging the lever 92 to lower the yoke 91, the lattermovement serving to withdraw the valve head 82 from engagement with thehead 77. The sliding adjustable connection consisting of the screw 97,and block 94 affords the proper adjustment of the valve movement, sothat it will operate properly when the drum frame moves forward andrearward under changes in tension of the towing line. It will be seenthat the block 94 may be moved in either direction lengthwise of theslot 95 by means of the screw bolt 97 to thereby vary the swing of thelever 92, and consequently the extent of movement of thepiston head 82.In order to show the extent of movement of the valve 'and to give avisible indication that it is functioning properly, I may provide theupper end of the valve 76 with a yoke 100 threaded into the upperportion of the valve, as at 101,4 said yoke having connected thereto arod y102 extending through an opening in the plate 80 and through alongitudinal bore 103 in the bolt 81, as shown in Fig. 4. The upper endof the rod 103 may be provided with an indicator or pointer 104coperating with a scale 105 to indicate the extent of movement of thevalve.

Means is provided for manual adjustment, regulation and operation of thepuppet valve 7 6, independently of the automatic means controlled bymovement of the drum frame, and is useful for the adjustment of thevalve when setting it for the desired inpulling power, so that the steampressure will be properly regulated by the automatic control. This meansconsists preferably in a vertical shaft 106, carrying a pinion 107 inmesh with the pinion 89 on said stem 86, said pinion 107 being longenough to be in constant driving engagement with the pinion 89 duringall positions of movement or adjustment of the latter lengthwise of thestem 86. On the shaft 106 is a beveled gear 108, meshing with a beveledgear 109 on one. end of a horizontally disposed connecting shaft 110,said shaft carrying on its opposite end a beveled gear 111 meshing witha beveled gear 112 on the lower end of a vertical shaft 113, mounted inbearings 114 on a valve casing. The shaft 113 carries on its upper end apinion 115 meshing with a beveled gear 116 on the vthrough the Ahollowpuppet valve.

end of a horizontally disposed shaft 117, mounted in bearings 118, andcarrying on one .end a hand-wheel 119, by which said shaft may berevolved.

The construction and arrangement of the winding engine and itscontrolling means being as above described, the operation is as follows:

The towing or winding engine is constructed to automatically take in andpay out its line, so as to maintain an approximately constant pullthereon. The normal strain on the hawser or towing line which is to besustained or opposed by the towing or winding engine, can be regulatedby the operator by means of the manual adjustment heretofore described,within a range of, say from 500 to 25,000 lbs. or more. v

lf, for example, the towing engine is to be regulated so as to exertautomatically a pull of 18.000 lbs. on the line, at a pressure of 120lbs. steam pressure in the engine cylinders, and the valves are insubstantially the position shown in Fig. 4. when steam is turned onthrough the throttle valve 44 the engine will revolve the drum to takeup the line. and will continue this winding operation until the strainon the towing line increases toward 18.000 lbs. During the winding orsetting-up operation, the movable drum frame carrying the drum, will beheld in its backward position by the springs 38, that is-v insubstantially the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. It will be understood that the springs 38 will have an initialforce or compression sufficient to hold the drum in this position untilsufficient cable stress is applied to the drum and drum frame to tend topull the drum and drum frame in the outhauling direction. Vhentlie pullon the towing line approaches the determined amount. say 18,000 lbs..said pull will serve to gradually pull the drum frame on its fulcrum inthe outhauling direction.` against the force of the springs 38. thisforward movement of the drum frame serving to lift the rear portionthereof. 'and operating the valve controlling connections to permit thevalve head 76 to seat on the shoulder 76, for an instant only, and cutoff the supply of steam to the engine cylinders. and if suchniovement iscontinued. the head'or piston 82 will be withdrawn from the head 77..thereby opening the cvlinders to the exhaustrGB he steam pocketeid inthe engine cylinders 22n will act as a cushion. Aonly to the degreewhich is required. the exhaust port being instantly closed when theresistance to paying out the towing line is reduced slightly belownormal.` and valve head 76 is raised slightly to' supply the requiredsteam pressure. The point at which the valve 76 closes, is determined bythe preliminary vertical adjustment of said valve relative to its seat 76a through the operation of the hand-wheel 119, shifting the valve stem86 while decreases in tension will result in the force of said springsbeing exerted to move the drum frame in the inhauling direction. Shouldthe tension in the towing line, be increased, and the drum frameconsequently moved in the outhauling direction, the rear end of the drumframe will be raised, lifting the forward end of the lever 92, andlowering the end 91 which is connected to the gear 89, and consequentllowering the stem 86, thereby moving the ead 82 away from the adjacentend of the valve head 77 to separate it from the latter, the resultbeing that the chamber 52 will be opened to the exhaust port 63 throughthe hollow puppet valve 76, and the space provided between the lower endof the latter and the head 82, and the steam will be permitted to escapefrom the engine cylinders to the exhaust. The escape of steam from theengine cylinders permits the pull on the towing line, to overhaul theengine without increasing the steam pressure in the cylinders until thetension on the towing line drops to' the point determined, whereupon,the previously compressed springs 38 will raise th'e rear end of theframe, and through the valve connection cause the stem 86 and the head82 to move toward the puppet valve, until said head 82 engages theadjacent end 77 of the puppet valve and closes communication between thechamber 52 and exhaust port 63 through the puppet valve, thusmaintaining the steam in the cylinders at the required pressure tocushion the pistons and thereby maintain the desired pull on the towingline. By the operation of the handwheel 119 in either direction, theconnections between the lever 91 and the puppet valve 76 may be changedto regulate the point at which the controlling valve closes, so that thetowing engine nay be regulated to pull any amount within the limits ofcapacity of the engine. Should a decrease in tension in the towing linetake place, the springs 38 will contractgthereby serving to lower therear end of the drum frame, and thereby swing the drum frame in theinhauling direction, which will serve to-raise the stem 86, andconsequently lift the'valve 77 from its seat 76a, so that the steaminlet through the throttle 44 is opened through the port 61 and thevalveway 62. to the chamber 52, and the steam ispermitted to flow intothe cngine cylinders to move the pistons therein to drive the .drum in adirection to wind the rope thereon, and restore the determined tensionin the towing line 2. When the desired tension is reached, the pull onthe line moves the drum frame in the outhauling direction, lifting therear end of said frame against the force of the springs 38, and thevalve stem 86 is thereby moved to shift the head 82 to permit the steampressure and the spring 79 to move the valve 76 toward closed. position.The description `of the operation just given, applies to the operationof the towing line after vthe same has been connected to the tow, andwill be understood that in connecting up the' towed vessel to the towingvessel, that the automatic valve does not function.

When it is desired to pay out the towing line to connect it to the towedvessel, the hand-wheel 119 is operated to pet-valve 76 to cause theengines to pull, say 400() lbs., which raises the said puppetvalve fromits seat and establishes communication between the chamber 51 and port61. The double-headed piston valve 70, 71

is raised to bridgethe ports 57, 58, and thus ing device for the towline, the reversingl valve is in the position shown in Fig. 4 and it isonly raised to the position just described when it is desired to drivethe engine to positively pay out the line. During the operation as atowing engine, the line is paid out by relieving the pressure in theengine cylinders so that the pull of the line can overhaul the drum andthe engine.

Should the distance between the ships increase for any reason, forexample, due to wave action, or an increase of speed of the towing ship,and the tension in the towing line is increased above normal, for whichthe towing engine has been set, the tension on the line will beincreased, and the towing engine will pay out said line in the effort tonormalize the tension in the hawser or towing line. If desired, one ofthe crank disks 16 may be provided with a brake band 120 operable by afoot lever 121 to retard the power shaft when the towing line has beenaid out, or whenever the functions of a bra e are desired.

In towing engines internal friction of the towing engine and itspartshas hitherto constituted an important consideration which could not bedisregarded, because it, together with the steam pressure, constitutethe two forces which oppose the hawser by the steam stress, but one ofthe advantages of my invention is that within reasonable internalfriction may be ignored. By way of explanation, suppose a towing machinecould be built which would be frictionless and that it would oppose a30,000 lb. hawser stress 'at 100 lbs. steam pressure, in which case theonly force opposing the hawser Stress would be the force exerted by thesteam pressure. In actual practice, however, in an engine about 30%(thirty) of the force afforded pressure would be expended in overcomingthe friction in the machine, so that but 21,000 to haul in the hawser.Should the hawser pull exceed 21,000 lbs. it might go as high as thetheoretical force exerted by the steam engine-z'. e., 30,000 lbs., plusthe force expended in overcoming friction-z'. e., 9000 lbs., whichequals 39,000 lbs., that is, the hawser might build u as high as 39,000lbs. before it would over aul the machine "and could become slackened,which obviously would result in an extraordinary overstrain in thehawser which might result in the breaking of the latter. Theseconditions cannot take place in my invention, because the steam pressureis immediately reduced in the cylinders as soon as there is an increaseof cable stress above 21,000 lbs. When the hawser pulls beyond 21,000lbs. the steam is reduced,4 the hawser is then opposed by the frictionof the machine, say 9000 lbs., and a reduced pressure of steam, sayabout 12,000 lbs. Then if the hawser pull slackens say to 20,000. lbs.,the valve opens and the steam pressure is again increased in thecylinders, causing the engine to wind u'p the hawser until its stress isagain raised to normal, whereupon it is held bythe engine until there iseither an appreciable drop or rise in the hawser stress. The advantageof this is apparent, because I am able to disregard the friction withinreasonable limits as the total force of the friction and steam pressurecan never exist simultaneously in opposition to the hawser when thehawser stress builds up over the determined normal, inasmuch as thesteam pressure is immediately reduced whenever the hawser stress risesabove normal and there is consequently no force but the friction plusthe amount of steam pressure permitted to exist by thel opening of thecontrolling valvein proportion to the degree to which said valve isopen. All of the above has assumed that there be no friction in theelements necessary to communicate the movement of the drum frame to thevalve. It is clear that the more friction.- less these elements are themore nearly uniform can the hawser stress be maintained. However, forpractical reasons a slight increase in hawser stress without the enginebeing Qverhauled is advantageous because in limits this of thecapabilities mentioned lbs. pull would be available smooth seas slightraises in hawser stress will not require any movement of the engine.This effects a saving of steam.

For example: a winding-in hawser stress of about 18,000 lbs. and anouthauling hawser stress of about 22,000 would mean that the enginewouldVstand still until the hawser stress exceeds 22,000 lbs., on the onehand, or dropped below 18,000, on the other. The difference in hawserstress in above example is 4000 lbs. I f the difference in hawser stressis much greater than `400,0 lbs., then stronger and heavier hawsers mustbe provided.

Under certain conditions it might be desirable to increase the size ofthe hawser and regulate the difference between inhauling and paying outmuch greater than 4000 lbs. perhaps 10000 lbs. and even more.

In Fig. 4, I have shown in dotted lines a modified form of the manualadjustment for the controlling valve. In this form, a gear 122 mountedon a shaft 123 meshes with the gear 89, heretofore described. Said shaft123 being mounted in a suitable bearing 124 on the valve casing, and inany suitab e bearing (not shown) on the bed frame. At the upper end ofthe shaft 123 is a beveled gear 125, meshing with a beveled gear 126 onthe end of a horizontal shaft 127, similar to the shaft 117, heretoforedescribed.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a towing engine, a base, a frame fulcrumed on the base, a windingdrum having bearings on the frame, a spring, anchoring means connectingsaid spring to the base, a connection between said frame and spring,whereby said spring opposes movement of the frame under pull of a linewound on the drum, means for controlling the motor b-y the movement ofthe drum.

2. In a towing engine, a base, a frame fulcrumed on the base, a windingdrum having bearings on the frame, a spring anchored to the base in rearof the drum, a connection between the rear of said frame and said ringwhereby said spring opposes movement of the frame under pull of a linewound on the drum, a motor for operating the drum, and means forcontrolling the motor by movement of the drum.

3. In a towing engine, a' base, a frame fulcrumed on the base, a windingdrum having bearings on the frame, a bar pivoted to the base, a springcarried by said bar, means on said frame and projecting beneath saidspring whereby Vsaid spring o poses movement of said frame under pul ofa line wound on the drum, a motor for operating the drum, and means forcontrolling the motor by movement of the drum.

. 4. In a towing engine, a base, a frame fula motor for operating thedrum, and

crumed on the base, said frame comprising side members and a rear memberconnecting said side members, said frame being open at its forwardportion, a winding drum having bearings on said frame, a spring anchoredto said base, a connection between said rear frame member and springwhereby said spring opposes movement of said frame under pull of a linewound on the drum, a motor for operating the drum, and meansforcontrolling the motor by movement of the drum.

5. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearings on thebase, a frame mounted for rocking movement on the shaft, a drum on theframe, a motor for the drum, means whereby movement of the framecontrols the motor, and auxiliary bearings on the base for said frame.

6. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearingson the base,a frame mounted for rocking movement on the shaft, a drum on the frame,a motor for the drum, means whereby movement of the frame controls themotor, and means for relieving the shaft of weight of the frame anddrum.

7. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearings on thebase, a frame mounted on the shaft for rocking movement, a drum on theframe, a rocker member on said frame and havin a rocker surface inrocking engagement w1thsaid base, a motor for operating the drum, andmeans whereby rocking movement of the frame controls said motor.

8. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearings on thebase, a frame mounted on the shaft for rocking mo vement, a drum on theframe, a curved surface on the base and concentric with said shaft, a

member on the frame and engaging said curved surface, a motor foroperating the drum, and means whereby the rocking movement of the framecontrols said motor.

9. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearings on thebase, a frame mounted on the shaft for rocking movement, a drum on theframe, a rocker member on the frame beneath said shaft and havin arocker surface adapted to rock on sai base, a motor for operating thedrum, and means whereby the rocking movement of the frame controls saidmotor.

10. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearings on thebase, a frame mounted on the shaft for rocking movement, a'drum on theframe, -said frame having a curved face coperating with acorrespondingly formed face on said base, the curves on said faces beingconcentric with said power shaft, a motor for operating the drum, andmeans whereby rocking movement of'the frame controls said motor.

l1. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearings on thebase, a'frame mounted on the shaft for rocking movement, a drum on theframe, said frame having a eonvexly curved face beneath the shaft andcoperating with `a concavely curved face on said base, the curves onsaid faces being concentric with said power shaft, a motor for operatingsaid drum, and means whereby the rocking movement of the frame controlssaid motor.

12. In a towing engine, a base, a power shaft having bearings on thebase, a. frame having openings through which said shaft passes, a drumon the rame, a support for the frame whereby it rocks 0n a center ofmovement axial of the power shaft, a motor for operating' said drum, andmeans whereby the rocking movement of the frame controls said motor.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribin witnesses.

'gIHOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

Witnesses:

JOHN STORES CARSWELL, WILLIAM HEGARTY.

